101 Family Day Trips and Staycations Around Vancouver
Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from Vancouver. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!
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Take A Deep Breath In the Garden
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Full Bloom Lavender |
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Damali Lavender & Winery |
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Cowichan Valley Lavender |
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Vandusen Garden |
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Queen Elizabeth Park |
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Stanley Park Gardens |
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Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden |
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Nitobe Memorial Garden |
Get Wild on a Hike
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Lynn Canyon Park |
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Burnaby Mountain |
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Quarry Rock |
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Pacific Spirit Park |
Time Travel Today
Make Life a Beach
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English Bay Beach |
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Kitsilano Beach |
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Locarno Beach |
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Sunset Beach |
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Third Beach |
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Jericho Beach |
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Spanish Banks Beach |
Splash into Some Water Fun
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Variety Kids Water Park |
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Cultus Lake Waterpark |
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Big Splash Water Slide Park |
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Granville Island Water Park |
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Watermania |
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The Outdoor Experience |
Spend the Day at a Museum
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H.R. MacMillan Space Centre |
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Science World |
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Vancouver Art Gallery |
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Britannia Mine Museum |
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Museum of Vancouver |
Explore These Cities
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Squamish |
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Whistler |
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White Rock |
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Victoria |
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Pemberton |
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New Westminster |
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Maple Ridge |
All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)
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The Canadian Museum of Flight |
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MacSailing |
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Burnaby Central Railway |
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Railway Heritage Museum |
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False Creek Ferries |
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Jericho Beach Kayak |
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Sky Helicopters |
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Harbour Air Seaplanes |
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Deeley Exhibition |
Grow Some Fun at the Farm
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Taves Family Farms Applebarn |
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Driediger Farms |
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North Arm Farm |
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CanWest Farms |
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Maan Farms |
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Greendale Acres |
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Willow View Farms |
Play Ball!
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BC Sports Hall of Fame |
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BC Lions |
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Vancouver Canadians |
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Vancouver Canucks |
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Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
Treat Yo' Self
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La Casa Gelato International Ice Cream |
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Bella Gelateria |
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Marble Slab Creamery |
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L'Atelier Patisserie |
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purebread |
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Karameller Candy Shop |
Connect with Nature
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Sea to Sky Gondola |
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Bloedel Conservatory |
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UBC Botanical Garden |
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VanDusen Botanical Garden |
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Park & Tilford Gardens |
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The Butchart Gardens |
Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks
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Playland at the PNE |
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FlyOver Canada |
Talk to the Animals
Explore the Globe Close to Home
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Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden |
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Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver-Museum and Archives |
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Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre |
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Italian Cultural Centre |
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Nitobe Memorial Garden |
Let's Go Chasing Waterfalls
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Shannon Falls Park |
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Cypress Falls Park |
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Twin Falls |
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Cascade Falls Regional Park |
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Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park |
Get Active Indoors
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6 Pack Beach |
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Richmond Olympic Experience |
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Extreme Air |
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365 Fundays |
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Coastal Climbing Centre |
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Play Abby |
Challenge Yourself
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Whistler Blackcomb |
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Capilano Suspension Bridge Park |
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Lockdown Escape |
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Grouse Mountain Zipline |
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Time Escape |
Shop Your Heart Out
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The Granville Island Toy Company |
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Kaboodles Toy Store |
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Kidsbooks |
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Camelot Kids |
Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!
Most of these destinations are within an hour from downtown Vancouver. For those that are a bit farther away:
= Less than 1 hour away
= 1 to 2 hours away
= 2 to 3 hours away
= Just over 3 hours away